The Puppet Master
by Seine
Summary: He's like a fire... He just keeps burning things, spreading his wickedness. And when they put the fire out, there's nothing left. No sweet grass, no tall trees, no new baby sister... Just ashes of a perfect world that should have been there forever. And i
1. Origins

**The Puppet Master**

Seine: Hey, everybody! Geez, I'm finally back into writing again.

Sango: Took you long enough. I think Miroku almost stopped groping, it's been so long.

Seine: Quiet you. Anyway, Inuyasha, could you go the disclaimer?

Inuyasha: Bite me. chomp ow!!! Fine, already, geez.... Seine doesn't own Inuyasha and any of it's characters, but would kill to do so.

* * *

**Origins**

It was a quiet day, then sun rising to it's highest point above the the group, shining it's ever draining and exhausting light and heat down upon them. Shippo sighed from inside Kagome's bike basket.

" This is so boring, there haven't been any youkai all morning! And not even a single human to trick! Are we ever gonna find anything?" Shippo whined, earning a punch in the head from Inuyasha.

" Quit your whining, runt! It's already enough that we haven't found anything to pulverize!" Kagome sighed, watching Shippo and Inuyasha fight about the same boring nonsense. Miroku, on the other hand, was walking slowly beside her, hands behind his head, completely carefree.

" You know, maybe one day they'll knock each other's windpipes out and render themselves speechless." Sango smiled slightly, a bit behind the group, Kirara resting on her shoulder, bathing in the sunlight. Kirara mewed softly in content, though her ears twitched from a slight noise.

The wind picked up, and Kirara leapt of Sango's shoulder, and transformed, snarling loudly. Sango leapt on top of Kirara, waiting for Kirara to bolt off. A sudden shriek from far off in the trees, and Kirara bolted, letting the trees bend in her wind. The rest followed, Inuyasha keeping pace and scent with the great fire cat. She stopped in a clearing, where a couple of human males were throwing stones at something.

Kirara easily sent them into a tree, and landed. Sango got off, and looked towards what they were throwing rocks at. It was what appeared to be a normal human woman. Her hair was the color of the darkest tree bark, though matted from what appeared to be tree twigs and grass. Her skin was tanned, about Sango's color, from work outdoors. She wore a dark grey kimono, one suited for tough work. It was torn in various placed. She was barefoot, and her leg was most certainly broken.

But it was her face that clearly held the youkai nature. She had one small horn above each eyebrow near the temples, and 2 even smaller ones jutting from just above the inner side of the eyebrows. And her eyes were a frosty blue, almost white color. Sango was about to raise her katana, but Kirara suddenly curled her fiery body around the youkai, protecting her.

" Kill her! She's a youkai!" Inuyasha silenced the villagers, and watched Sango as she kneeled down, and stretched her hand out towards her. The youkai crumbled back into Kirara, fearing Sango and the others.

" Please, please leave me be... I've done nothing wrong..." Her voice was crackling with sobs, but was soothing like a mothers voice. Sango smiled lightly.

" It's okay, we're not going to hurt you. Please, tell me you name. Kirara is protecting you, so that's enough for me." The youkai looked up.

" M-my name? Fahna, my name is Fahna." Sango smiled, and the villagers spoke up again.

" Slay her, youkai taijya, save us from that filthy menace!" Sango's eyes flickered angrily.

" Shut up, you infernal fools. I can smell deceit crawling off of you, and I don't have the nose of Inuyasha. Leave us be, or I may have to endanger your life." The humans bolted off, nearly in shock at the taijya's harsh words. Sango looked back to Fahna.

" Tell me, why are they hunting you so?" Fahna sighed.

" I came through this village only a day ago. I was going to return to my village, the one you come from, the youkai exterminators village, to my husband. They started throwing rocks at me, and when I fled to the woods, I hit one of their traps, and it broke my leg. I can't run properly, so eventually they found me. Thank heavens a kind soul like yours appeared for me, you're a blessing. And to see Kirara again, what a site for sore eyes." Sango froze, and slumped down onto her butt.

" Fahna-san, we may have a little bit to talk about. But first, let's get those wounds touched up. Here, this is going to hurt..." Sango quickly re-set Fahna's bone, and bound it with something from Kagome's medicine box. Fahna stood up, and with the help of Kirara, they found another clearing, where the sun shone a bit brighter then the deep underbrush. Kagome set down a blanket and pulled out some sandwiches, handing some to everyone. Fahna looked amazed.

" You're offering me such a delicacy? Domo Arigato, young Miko." Kagome blinked, and swallowed her bit of sandwich.

" How did you know I was a Miko?" Fahna smiled, and tapped her horns.

" I can sense things now in my age. They're not strong now, but your Miko powers are steadily growing. Oh, and houshi-sama, please keep your hands off of the lovely taijya, she really does not appreciate it." Miroku blinked.

" But, I haven't groped her in front of you, how could you know that information? Are you a mind reader?" Fahna smiled again.

" Not quite. Human and youkai feelings radiate the same way, although a youkai's is trained more in thought. But it seems as though the lovely taijya has been taught well in organized thoughts. Hishama-chan has done well in teaching you. Though, you confuse me, normally only the men are the slayers." Sango sighed.

" Well, father decided that since I was his only daughter and his first child, he'd teach me the ways of the slayer. " She explained, finishing off her sandwich.

" Your father is very noble to do so, you must be a formidable warrior." She smiled, devouring the last bite of her sandwich.

" But, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you... The village is gone, destroyed by Naraku. I, and my possessed brother Kohaku, are the only ones left..." Sango gazed down, and Kagome placed her hand on Sango's shoulder, looking almost as sad. Fahna looked completely stunned. She gazed down, tears flowing from her beautiful face.

" Hishama-chan.... my daughter.... dead? How could he die? He was so noble, so kind... My daughter, why have they taken such an innocent soul...." Fahna murmered, tears flowing down her face. Sango placed her hands on Fahna's shoulders.

" I'm sorry. I lost the entire village in one night, and I was lucky enough that my friends came along and buried the villagers." Fahna sniffed the air, then Sango's arm. Her eyes dried slightly.

" You.... you smell just like Hishama-chan." Fahna reached back, under Sango's hair, and felt the back of her neck. Sango immediately went rigid under the feeling of Fahna's claws against an old scar. Fahna smiled.

" So, perhaps I haven't lost it all. The mark of the youkai purification ward is scared into your neck. Please, this may be hard for you, but let me see into you. I need to see what happened. I need to see what has become of my daughter." Sango nodded. They both sat cross-legged.

" Now, you other's will most likely see as well, the energy is quite intense. Here it goes...."

* * *

Seine: CLIFFY!! Sorry, I need to see what people think of this. Ya.

Sesshy: Read and Review, it is helpful to our cause.

Seine: what he said.


	2. Mother

**The Puppet Master**

Seine: Well, if it ever uploads, this should get better. Confusion is definitely a strong suit here.

Inuyasha: Blah, blah, blah, Inuyasha doesn't belong to Seine, yadda yadda yadda.

* * *

**Mother**

Fahna raised her hands up to circle near Sango's temples. A sudden jolt of youki, and they were suddenly engulfed in a vast red light. It appeared that they were floating above Sango's village, at the peak of it's glory. Children were running around, fighting and practicing to be the best. The images flickered to Sango and Kohaku practicing with their father. Suddenly, the image flickered from happiness. Sango was been attacked brutally by what looked like a female Kohaku, who was obviously much older then she was, who looked all of 7 years.

" No, Agony-sama, please stop!" The woman picked Sango up, and with a sharp dagger, carved into Sango's shoulder, muffling her screams with a powerful arm. Filth, was carved into her shoulder, just below her neck. Sango fell almost lifeless as her father barged in, striking down the woman. The image disappeared into redness.

The fight with the spider was shown, every bit of it. Kagome, floating beside Inuyasha, looked like she was going to be severely sick. The image faded to black, as they watched Sango desperately claw out of the grave. Other images flashed by, of he being held as a child by someone with sharp closed, being sung to sleep. Other images were of Kohaku and her father, of Naraku and his sick games, and the last was a word. Filth.

Sango let out a scream, and the images were broken, as she clutched the back of her shoulder in a death grip. Fahna broke the bond, and the searing pain stopped. Sango collapsed on her side, eyes wide. Fahna sighed.

" What is your name?" She asked, pulling Sango's hair away from her face.

" Sango." Fahna smiled, and picked Sango up into her arms, holding her like a child. She began singing a song in a language that not even Inuyasha could understand. Kirara cuddled up within Sango's lap, and mewed again softly. Sango almost drifted to sleep. Fahna smiled.

" Oh, dear Sango, my dearest little girl, I have missed to much, and have failed to protect you... Please forgive me, my child..." Sango blinked back tears.

" I've been trained to kill youkai, to protect humans, and yet, I've only been killing my own kind in vain attempts to protect those who truely hated me...." Fahna smiled.

" Nothing was in vain. You protected and did what you thought, what you know is truely right inside. And you will continue to do what's right inside. Filth cannot even describe the slightest thing about you. Come now, we must continue before nightfall, the villagers will be sure to attack us." Inuyasha suddenly spoke up.

" Woah, woah, woah. You mean to tell me, that Sango is a hanyou, just like I am? Mind explaining this to me?" Fahna smiled.

" When I first came across the village, Hishama took me in because I was wounded. He saved me from death, and eventually we became closer, in secret of course. Then, of course, we made Sango, and when she was born, I had to flee, for Agony, Hishama's real wife, would have indeed killed me. I had no idea leaving Sango in her care would have caused my girl so much grief." Miroku smiled.

" Well, we're lucky that Sango has such a powerful will and survival skills. Or I would have never met the lovely-" Sango spoke up suddenly.

" Okay, I get the point Miroku, thanks for trying. But, what I don't understand, is I have no signs of it. No special skills. How can you be certain?" Sango stated, standing up, pulling Fahna to her feet. Kirara transformed, and Fahna sat atop of her.

" Because you have rejected it. You have to let completely loose, let your hunger and lust for what is right take complete control of you. It may be difficult, but perhaps you should try it tonight. When they attack, let your nature take complete control of you. Think not of them as helpless, but as attackers. As prey. They're going to kill your kin, your family that you have been traveling with, you can't let them do that." Fahna explained. Sango nodded.

" I will. We'll see if your right."

* * *

Seine: Bwhahaha. What will the night bring?

Miroku: Read, review, and grope!


	3. LadyBugs

**The Puppet Master**

Seine: My internet is freakin' screwed up. I swear I'm gonna rip the router out of the wall....

Kagome: Well, just don't hurt yourself, eat your vitamins, then put the router back in.

Seine: What the hell does vitamins have to do with it?

Kagome: Everything and nothing. Seine doesn't own Inuyasha, but sure as heck would like to. If she did, I think our world would be quite screwed up.

Seine: _**PINK FLYING TURTLES WITH DOVE WINGS!!! BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!**_ ....sorry....

* * *

**Ladybugs**

Inuyasha huffed, sitting on the forest floor, basically watching the sun set. He sniffed the air, and stood up abruptly, looking slightly miffed.

" Tell me this, Fahna. How come I can't smell youkai on you or Sango? I normally can pick up scents easily, but I don't understand why your scents are such a mystery. You both smell like humans. What's the deal?" Inuyasha asked, crossing his arms in front of him. Fahna smiled.

" I knew an inuyoukai like yourself would have difficulty believing. Well, it's slightly difficult to explain. It's called scent masking, a trait in my bloodline passed from my mother. For some reason, our bloodline starts from neko-youkai blood, but ended up a slash of neko-youkai and fear-youkai. We can bend things around us, the energy off of it, without knowing it. So it's like a mask. It's for the better." Fahna explained, rubbing behind Kirara's ears.

Sango sat against a tree, staring at a ladybug as it crawled on a twig. She came to a conclusion. _That ladybug, when she reaches the end, if it wasn't for her sticky grippers, she'd fall off the twig. If I didn't have my friends, I would have completely fallen of of my twig of sanity. Neko... and fear-bender? Father never even told me about that kind of youkai... _

_Maybe he just didn't want to. Didn't want me to know I was what I fought, what we feared, what we hoped to defend humans from. Why am I pitying myself, when he carried the burden of knowing what I was, and still loving me? I can't let him down now. And I never will, either. Kirara... She's protected me all these years, knowing what I was, watching me slay demons without a second thought. How could I have not know what I was? How could I reject something that I don't know about? Hanyou... Just like Inuyasha. _

Sango shifted over a bit, letting Miroku slump down beside her, as Fahna, Inuyasha, and Kagome spoke quietly about something.

" Strange creatures, aren't they? I've always wondered about ladybugs. As a child I mean, but now, I don't remember what conclusion I came to about them." Miroku said, trying to break the awkward silence. Sango smiled lightly.

" They are quite strange. Their suited for red flowers and watermelon, but they seem to appear mostly in the grass. You'd think that they would stay among the flowers, where they fit in, but nope, they go where it's unknown to them, away from family and friends, just to explore and learn more. And then of course they get squashed by a giant foot, though it's better then getting sprayed with herbs to kill bugs in the garden. Less suffering, I suppose." Miroku blinked a couple of times.

" Sango... I know this is all very hard for you right now, but I want you to know I'm here for you, and if you ever need to talk, I'll tie my hands behind my back for you." Sango giggled slightly.

" A little bit odd of an idea, but I get the general idea, thanks. This is just... all so sudden. First, I thought my mother had died in childbirth, then everyone died, and then she seems to have appeared out of nowhere. My only question is will this give me the strength to defeat Naraku along side you all?" Miroku shrugged.

" You already have the strength and the will to kill Naraku. This may give you, for lack of better words as Kagome would say, a kick in the ass to the right direction!" Sango blushed, and lightly laughed again.

" Or in your case, a grope." Miroku faltered for a moment.

" Perhaps." Suddenly, Sango froze. The ladybug flew off, and Sango leapt up, bearing her katana, waiting patiently. Miroku stood up, his back to Sango's, waiting as well. Inuyasha sniffed, and growled, flexing his claws.

" So, we have some fresh meat!" It wasn't the humans. It was a pack of pig-youkai, brandishing large axes, bows, and daggers. Sango smiled deviously, and tucked her katana away, tossing Hiraikotsu aside.

" Fahna, how exactly do I do this?" She asked, still staring a pig in the eyes. Fahna snarled in her throat.

" Think of them as your prey, you as the huntress. They've killed your cub. Kill them back." Sango closed her eyes, thinking inside herself as a pig wound up with the heavy axe to strike her. _Naraku, Naraku, Naraku, Naraku, Naraku, Naraku, NARAKU!!_

" You Bastard!" Sango ripped her hand up, and let her eyes open. They were glazed in icy blue. Claws spurted from her fingernails, and the 4 horns pushed out. She could feel fangs emerging, and she growled low in her throat. It felt good to snarl, to growl at something she hated. She tore open the pigs chest with a single sweep of her claws, delivering the killing blow to it's throat. The pig, with a slight gag, fell to the ground, lifeless.

Sango, felt and uncontrollable grin creep across her face. Her claws were covered in black blood, straight from the organs. She could smell everything, she could see all around her, she could literally taste the blood in the air, the fear in their eyes was like a match to the wick of a candle. Kagome's eyes widened.

" Sango? Are you alright?" Sango looked back at Kagome. She smiled, not a grin, but a sweet smile.

" Completely fine. Never felt better." Sango, with a speed that not many could match, was suddenly upon the pigs, tearing them to bits. The main one, obviously bigger, attacked with his dagger. Sango dodged easily, and grabbed the pig's head, and looked him straight in the eye.

" See your fears flash before you." Suddenly, the pig began screaming, not able to break Sango's iron hold. After a minute, she let him go, and he went screaming around the clearing, finally smashing his head open on a rock. Sango blinked, looking at her bloody hands, then at the bloody mess of flesh around the area. Miroku quickly cleaned up, and placed his hand on Sango's shoulder. She blinked.

" How... How the hell did I do that? I just... and he went screaming? I'm confused, can someone explain this to me?" Sango asked, wiping the blood of her hands on the grass. Fahna smiled.

" I didn't expect such a fast learner. You used your first skill, Fear Flash. Pretty much shows everything they fear by tapping into their mind. You could have actually used it on all the youkai, since they were low-intelligence. A single wave would have done. You'll learn your skills as you go along. You're quite vicious, I think Naraku's going to crap his pants. What do you think, Inuyasha?" Fahna said, still petting Kirara.

" Well, I think she did that quite messily. Go for the kill-shot, if possible. Although, I remember when I was like that. Messy stuff." Sango blushed and looked down.

" I kind of just thought about Naraku, so I kinda... freaked out. But, when I used that attack, I felt something, like I wasn't using my own body. It felt like something else... something warm inside was using my body for that attack." Fahna smiled.

" You're carrying souls with you, that's why. Fear-benders carry the memory of dead ones close, and since you were right there, the memory and soul is preserved within you. So technically, once you get your energy levels and skill level up, you could talk to them. It'll drain the hell out f you, but it'll work. Don't try to much with your powers yet though." Sango nodded.

" Okay, that I understand. We need to find somewhere to rest for the night. Fahna, do you know of anywhere that we could go?" Fahna nodded.

" Yes, there's a small cabin about 5 minutes walk from here, it's been abandoned for years. We should head there now though." Inuyasha, already annoyed at the smell of gross fruit in the air, trudged off, sniffing out the old cabin. It was in pretty good shape, from something that had been abandoned for years. It was quaint, with a little round window above what looked to be the kitchen. Kagome opened the door, and stepped inside the dusty little hut. Miroku and Inuyasha quickly gathered firewood, and made a small fire in the fireplace.

Sango looked outside, and watched the sun set. There was no moon. Inuyasha quickly changed back into a human, and Sango decided she should too, letting her anger go long enough to become human once again. Inuyasha, being in a foul mood now, was mercilessly poking the fire with a stick he found. Kagome sighed.

" Miroku, can I do your hair?" Miroku raised and eyebrow, but decided to let the bored Kagome do what she wanted. So, after about 15 minutes, she had done Miroku's hair in a bun, pigtails, and finally decided to leave it in braids, tying them back into his little dragon-tail. Miroku sighed.

" Why don't you ever do Inuyasha's hair, or Shippo's hair? I mean, they have more hair then I do." Inuyasha growled, and Shippo was too busy sleeping to notice. Kagome smirked.

" 'Cause Inuyasha would kill me, and Shippo's hair is too boring to work with. It's either your hair or... Hey! Sango, can I do your hair?" Sango blinked.

" Um, sure, I guess...." Whoosh! In an instant, Kagome was brushing, combing, braiding, twirling and curling Sango's hair before she knew what hit her. _Geez, I'm surprised that Kagome can't use this speed in battle, it'd be quite helpful..._ Sango thought, sighing a bit. Miroku was looking at her, staring at the so called 'Masterpiece' that Kagome was creating. Sango looked up.

" Kagome, may I ask what exactly your doing to my hair?" Kagome smiled, poking where she had done things.

" Well, okay. I braided your bangs and these 2 long pieces here in front, and I made everything else straight before I curled the 2 little bundles of hair in front of your ears, then I pulled the rest in a high ponytail and tried to curl it, but it's pretty heavy so the curls dropped out but that's okay." Kagome splurged out, smiling at her 'creation' Sango blinked.

" Okay... Judging by how houshi-sama is staring at me, it looks good. Thanks, Kags. What the...." Sango suddenly stood up, and watched as a woman burst in, holding a dagger in her hand.

She had long black hair tied into what looked like Kikyo's hair. She had sharp green eyes, and her face read rage. Her skin was extremely pale, and she wore a blackHaori. She stared intently at Sango, who looked almost petrified.

" Agony."

* * *

Seine: BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! CLIFFY!!! again....

Sango: Where the hell is this story going, anyhow?

Seine: Quiet you. Somewhere, that not even the computer knows!!

Sango: Well, no duh you haven't typed it yet.

Seine: falters Quiet you.

Sango: Read and Review, please.


	4. Agony

**The Puppet Master**

Seine: Nobody is reviewing. This is not a good sign... Well, for those of you who might have taken a little glance at the story, I'll keep going, perhaps attract the attention of some reviewers.

Sesshy: Good luck in that.

Seine: Why are you such a pessimist?

Sesshy: Because that's how the creator made me, and since you don't own me or any characters from Inuyasha, I am free to continue the pessimistic behavior.

Seine: Well, poo on you.

* * *

" Agony..." Sango muttered, taking a small step backwards. Kirara leapt up, and snarled, but she didn't transform. Inuyasha went to grab his sword, while Miroku pulled his staff to eye level. Kagome was still sitting beside Fahna, who had a look of terror on her face. The fire flickered, shadows dancing across the walls of the little hut.

" So, it seems the filthy little hanyou is still alive. I thought Hishama would have enough honour to slay you, for the good of the village! And now look what you've done! It's all gone, the village is ravished by demons, most likely by you! Did you take pride in covering your hands with blood, or is it only a small tole compared to the blood of the village!?!?" Already we can tell that Agony is a dreadful and wicked woman. Sango was staring down, shadows cast over her face.

" I didn't kill them. Naraku did, it wasn't my fault! I....I didn't do it!" Sango protested, looking up at Agony will almost crying eyes. Agony's frown turned into a nasty scowl. (an ugly scowl at that, what a witch)

" Don't lie, you filthy demon. You killed them in anger because you will never be accepted! Ever...." Sango lowered her head again, a single tear slipping down her face. Kagome frowned, abruptly standing up, narrowly missing a beam that she could have smacked her head on.

" You have no right to say that, you weren't even there! Where were you, huh? If you're so much better then how come you didn't save the village? Seems to me you were cast out! Sango is accepted, here, with us. We are her family, and you have no right to call her that, when you are much worse!" Kagome exclaimed, puffing up, looking meaner than Inuyasha (who nearly had a look of disbelief on his face). Agony smirked evilly.

" Perhaps I was cast out. For doing what was right. And now I will finish the job, with this sacred jewel shard. Naraku didn't do this, for he gave me the shard, and with it, the power to defeat you, filthy hanyou." Miroku sighed deeply, standing up as well.

" It's a shame... You've been tricked from hatred so easy by what you seem to hate. You do realize that Naraku is a hanyou, don't you? He killed all of the villagers, and possessed Kohaku to kill even more. We are not your enemy. But, if you are deciding to get a death wish, take it outside. This is our hut. Get out." Miroku stated demandingly, clicking his staff on the floor. Agony faltered for a moment, but then laughed.

" Why should I believe you? Fine, I will take this outside. Sango, on the false honour of the village, I challenge you to a duel to the death!" Agony exclaimed, sheathing her dagger. Suddenly, a strange smell, very faint, came over the air.

Inuyasha smelt it. _Anger? No, that's not it... Pride, and confidence? What's going on? Oh wait, the demon blood... I gotta see this! _Inuyasha thought, almost smirked to himself. The group walked outside, after Sango nodded with a slight grin. They found the nice clearing they had fought in before, except it smelt less... Natural. It smelt more like burnt popcorn. Kagome had decided that it was a fake jewel shard, nothing more.

" Ok, lets go with simple rules. No biting or gouging the eyes, or breaking fingers. Katanas and daggers only, no poison. Got it?" Agony stated, pulling out a fair size katana, her dagger still in the other hand. Sango nodded, but made no move to grab her sword. Agony lunged with great speed, obviously from the fake jewel shard. Sango simply leaned to the side, the blade missing her with a whipping noise. This went on for minutes, Sango simply dodging and ducking from Agony's attacks.

" Stop mocking me and fight!" Agony screaming, throwing her katana forward, hoping to stab Sango deep through the heart. Sango jumped up, and stood on the blade, completely balanced.

" I'm merely showing you what father taught me. Balance and grace must be shown at all times, even when in battle. " Agony slashed with the dagger, and Sango simply flipped over, landing behind her, leaning on her back. Agony whirled around, but Sango was a step ahead, crouching and doing a swift spin kick at Agony's heels, toppling her over. But obviously Agony wasn't done yet, for she flipped off her hands and attempted to slash again. Sango sidestepped, and was back at least another 3 feet, smiling childishly.

" What's the matter, Agony-sama, something wrong with your jewel shard? Or have you gotten rusty in your old age?" Sango asked, mockingly twirling her hair with a finger. Agony smiled.

" We will see if you're so smug in a minute. Luckily I came equipped with an extra shard..." Agony pulled out another fake shard from under her haori, and dug it into a small cut. Now both one arm and one leg had the power of the fake shard. She glew with an aura filled with hatred. Sango, seeing the danger, got into a fighting stance, hand hovering over her katana. Agony lunged, making a slash at Sango with a little less speed then Kouga. Sango dodged to the left, and after that the speed of the fight became much faster, until it came to a dead stop when Sango flipped and kicked Agony in the chin.

" Geez, old lady, what's the deal?" Sango mocked again, completely relaxed, releasing the demon half. The horns sprouted again, and Inuyasha smirked.

" I've always wanted to see live theatre."

* * *

INTERMISSION

* * *

Sesshomaru walked through the deep forest, Jaken and Rin safely tucked back in an old hut back down the old path he emerged from. He smelt it, newly awakened hanyou blood. And it was enticing, for some reason Tenseiga drew Sesshomaru towards whatever it was. He got a strange feeling, more then what his legendary sword normally did, a pulsing in his ears to see what it was. Thinking more of the scent, he bolted off faster, catching a whiff of Inuyasha. _So... Perhaps Inuyasha has had a child? No, the demon is too strong... Then why does it mingle in the same area as him?

* * *

_

END OF INTERMISSION

* * *

Agony smirked again, and Sango could feel the energy rising within the dark aura. Once again, the speed of the battle boosted to a break-neck speed. Agony charge her hand forward, and managed to strike Sango's shoulder, sending her back into a tree from the force of the punch. Agony laughed.

" So, even a hanyou cannot compare to the shards. How... Convenient. " Sango laughed from where she lay on the ground, and sprang up into action, pummeling Agony with her fists and feet before neatly tossing her into the air, drawing her katana. As Agony fell from the sky, Sango sprang forward, and slashed her just before she hit the ground. Agony's arm, along with the fake jewel shard, rolled to the side. Agony stared at her stump numbly, before screaming, gripping her leg.

" Now you can see it's a fake. The poison of the shard will kill you, I don't need to. Naraku has spun you into his little web quite easily as well. I just wish he would have taken you earlier, before you let Kohaku watch as you tried to kill me. And now he's dead, held together by a real jewel shard. You've delayed me long enough, and I hope you die a horribly painful death. If I remember, I'll bury you." Sango said, cleaning her katana, sheathing it, then turning to walk away.

" I......" Agony croaked, trying to move under the pressure of the poison. Sango stopped, and looked back at the wicked and writhing woman laying before her.

" Am........ Sorry......." She finished, collapsing, letting tears crawl down her face. Sango faltered, disbelief plastered upon her face. Sango looked down.

" Kagome.... Save her." Kagome nodded, and rushed in, stabbing at the shard with her sacred arrow. The poison subsided, and the shard was broken. Agony had slipped into unconsciousness, and Sango was staring into the forest. Miroku came up, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

" You did the right thing, Sango. I'm proud of you." Sango smiled slightly, but became completely emotionless, as they heard clapping. She looked towards the trees.

" Sesshomaru."

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Seine: Let's hope someone reviews this time.

Sesshy: Wow. You actually put me in the story.

Seine: How could I leave you out?

Sesshy: True.


	5. Kagome's Dark Mind

**The Puppet Master**

Seine: Hehehehe, I wonder what Sesshomaru is going to do in this chapter....

Kagome: Eat vitamins? Stay healthy and fit? Teach me an easier way to do trigonometry?

Seine: Erm, not exactly.

Sesshy: Well, actually the key to trigonometry is-

Seine: Let's just start the show, shall we? I don't own Inuyasha, but I own Fahna, that's my own character.

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" Sesshomaru." Inuyasha stated, already worried about his human form, and it was no where near sunrise. Kagome stepped in front of Inuyasha, raising her arrow, Agony laying at her feet.

" What do you want?" Sesshomaru began walked forward, the ice mask still in place. He came to a standstill in front of Sango, who was NOT going to move. With this new hanyou stuff, she could probably be a bit more daring for the team.

" It's not what I want, it's what the Tenseiga wants. It drew me here, but I do not know why it draws me to this area. Normally it would want me to revive something, but there is truely nothing to revive, and that woman is not what the Tenseiga wants. So I am here, on Tenseiga's terms, not my own." He stated, staring straight through Sango. She simply stared back, and they broke their stare, when Fahna spoke.

" Perhaps we should return to the hut, standing here is not safe. Tenseiga won't permit you to kill any of us, I'm sure of that." She stated, and they began walking towards the hut. When they got inside, Kagome sat down on the floor, after tucking in Shippo.

" We should think of something to stop Naraku from spreading any farther. His aura is stronger every time we face him..." Miroku stated, slumping down onto the floor, in one of the corners. Kagome looked down, and the air seemed to go cold, even though the fire was blazing.

" He's like a fire... He just keeps burning things, spreading his wickedness. And when they put the fire out, there's nothing left. No sweet grass, no tall trees, no new baby sister.... Just ashes of a perfect world that should have been there forever. And it always leaves an empty shell of a person, filled with nothing but big, bright lies. Pretending to live in a white lie, instead of seeing the darkened truth of what I've become... Then the time of moving on passes, I find there's another world, and that same fire is spreading there, taking everything from others the same as they took from me. And then we need to figure out the answer, because he'll just keep spreading..." Kagome stated, her face cast down in shadow. Sango draped her arm around Kagome's shoulder.

" Are you alright, Kags?" Kagome nodded, still looking down.

" I...I just need some sleep, that's all. Goodnight, everyone." Kagome said quietly, curling up in the corner with an old blanket. Inuyasha walked over to Kagome, taking some of the blanket, curling Kagome in his arms. She sighed in her sleep. Sango turned away, smiling slightly to herself. She looked around the room. Fahna was cuddled up with Kilala, looking content, and she was purring. Miroku was downcast in shadows, obviously staring at his right hand.

But when she looked towards Sesshomaru, he was staring at her. Rin was cuddled up with his fluffy mass of fur, causing Sango to almost giggle. Jaken was in the corner, obviously brooding over some unknown matter. She snickered a bit at Jaken, what a little dirty thing he was. She looked back to Rin. She seemed as though she was Sesshomaru's child, though they look nothing alike. Thanks to the mysterious Tenseiga, Rin is alive, and seems to just be loving the attention of Sesshomaru. _Strange, a demon taking in a child. Especially a demon that appears to be ice cold inside and out. _

" Sango," Miroku called out, standing up. " Would you care to come for a walk? I need to speak to you." He was strangely quiet, not having much of an expression on his face. Sango nodded, and stood up, walked to the door. She then glanced back at everyone.

" Sesshomaru, keep and eye on them. And no tricks or killing anyone." She could have sworn he flashed a half smile. She concluded, as she and Miroku walked towards a small clearing, that her mind had played a funny trick on her, thinking he smiled. Sango and Miroku sat down in the clearing, Sango leaning up against a tall tree. Miroku sat beside her, and sighed deeply.

" Sango, when you changed, did you notice anything different?" Sango was slightly taken aback at Miroku's bluntness. She nodded, and looked towards another tree.

" Well, I felt... Powerful. I knew that I was higher in the chain of life, I knew that I could do more. It felt... Good to protect my friends, more then usual. It almost felt good to kill, I'd be lying if I said it didn't, but it wasn't supremely good, just a slight pang. Demon or not, I will not sink to become a killing monster. I could smell everything, hear everything, it almost seemed like I could taste what they were feeling. First it scared me, but now I know how to deal with it..." She explained, looking back to Miroku.

" Ok, I just needed to know that. Hey, did you make sense of what Kagome was saying? I've never heard her speak so darkly, and about what I have no idea. Has she ever said anything like that before." Sango shook her head.

" I'm going to ask her though. She was speaking of a fire, comparing it to Naraku, how he destroys things. Perhaps she lost something in a fire, but when she started talking about a baby sister, I lost her completely. I only know of Souta, do you think she has a sister? I'm beginning to think that Kagome's mind goes a little bit deeper into darkness then I thought it did." Miroku nodded.

" That's what I was thinking. What she said, it was twisted. Seeming like a sickening version of what we thought she has seen. We should head back now, it's almost midnight." Sango nodded, and stood up, helping Miroku up. They walked quietly back to the little hut. When they walked in, Rin was cuddled up Kilala and Fahna, Jaken was asleep in the corner, and Kagome was on Inuyasha's lap, her head tucked into his neck. Every one of them was asleep, except for Sesshomaru. He was finishing a family tree, which Inuyasha had started a while back.

" Please try to be quiet, Rin is sleeping." Sesshomaru whispered, still working at the bristle board. Sango nodded, and watched (still standing) as Miroku fell asleep in another corner. She smiled slightly, then sat in front of the fire, staring into it's depths. She sat up straight when she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She looked back, and saw Sesshomaru sitting directly beside her, staring into the fire. He removed his hand after a moment.

" How does it feel?" Sango blinked.

" How does what feel?" Sesshomaru let out a breath.

" Being a hanyou of course. What's it like? I won't have the experience, and I'm sure as hell not asking Inuyasha." Sango smiled lightly. Little did they know that Inuyasha was wide awake. He had to refrain himself from snickering.

" Um... Well, it's hard to explain. It feels almost like a jewel shard, the strength to go on. Except the fact that I have the soul and the heart to restrain myself. I've never felt this kind of power, this kind of control with anything else. I hear everything, I can smell things that I couldn't before, I move faster, I can almost taste the air and the feelings in it. Kind of scary." Sango explained, curling her knees up to her chest.

" So it seems as though the only difference is the will power, though I personally have no troubles with my own free will. Other demons do, but I can tell when I begin to anger, they really can't." Sango yawned, a stretched her arm out high. Sesshomaru caught her arm, and leaned very close to her, his nose almost touching hers.

" I must mention I hate humans. But for some strange reason I am attracted to you... Why?" Sango blinked, confused and a little bit scared of their closeness. She thought for a moment.

" I... I don't really know." Sesshomaru almost smiled again.

" I'll tell you why... You're vicious, clean and precise, and you only kill when you truely need to. Not like a barbarian human or aconiving demon. Yet you show mercy, and sincerity, no backwards plans. And you smell like a garden. Goodnight, Sango."

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Seine: No one is reviewing, but Meh, my confidence will rise again...

Sango: What the hell are you doing with the plot, anyway?

Seine: R&R!! I dunno, something...


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